The Latest: South Africa's ANC welcomes Zuma's departure

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The Latest on South Africa's leadership crisis (all times local): 11:20 p.m. South Africa's ruling party is welcoming the resignation of President Jacob Zuma after months of growing public anger over multiple corruption allegations.

South African President Jacob Zuma addresses the nation and press at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. South Africa's President Jacob Zuma says he will resign 'with immediate effect'

South African President Jacob Zuma addresses the nation and press at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. South Africa's President Jacob Zuma says he will resign 'with immediate effect'

South African President Jacob Zuma addresses the nation and the media at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The ruling African National Congress has told Zuma to resign by the end of Wednesday after rejecting his request to stay in office for several more months.

South African President Jacob Zuma addresses the nation and press at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. South African President Jacob Zuma broke his silence Wednesday to disagree with the ruling party's order to resign and say he'd done nothing wrong, setting the stage for his almost certain ouster in a parliamentary vote on Thursday.

South African President Jacob Zuma addresses the nation and press at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. South Africa's President Jacob Zuma says he will resign 'with immediate effect'

South African President Jacob Zuma addresses the nation and the media at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The ruling African National Congress has told Zuma to resign by the end of Wednesday after rejecting his request to stay in office for several more months.

In this frame-grab from South African Broadcasting Corporation state-run television President Jacob Zuma is interviewed Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The speaker of South Africa's parliament wants to hold a motion of no confidence in Zuma on Thursday afternoon. saying the timing of the vote by open ballot must be agreed upon by the parliament's program committee later Wednesday. Both the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote against Zuma, who has not responded to an order from his own party to leave office. (SABC via AP)

A public live broadcast on television of President Jacob Zuma being interviewed on state television is watched on a mobile phone in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. South African President Jacob Zuma says ruling party leaders have not given him clear reasons for why he should resign and he calls his treatment "unfair." Zuma broke his silence Wednesday in a live interview with state broadcaster SABC as the nation awaited word on whether he would obey a ruling party order to leave office.

In this frame-grab from South African Broadcasting Corporation state-run television President Jacob Zuma is interviewed Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The speaker of South Africa's parliament wants to hold a motion of no confidence in Zuma on Thursday afternoon. saying the timing of the vote by open ballot must be agreed upon by the parliament's program committee later Wednesday. Both the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote against Zuma, who has not responded to an order from his own party to leave office. (SABC via AP)

People watch a public live broadcast of President Jacob Zuma being interviewed on state television on a mobile phone in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. South African President Jacob Zuma says ruling party leaders have not given him clear reasons for why he should resign and he calls his treatment "unfair." Zuma broke his silence Wednesday in a live interview with state broadcaster SABC as the nation awaited word on whether he would obey a ruling party order to leave office.

In this frame-grab from South African Broadcasting Corporation state-run television President Jacob Zuma is interviewed Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The speaker of South Africa's parliament wants to hold a motion of no confidence in Zuma on Thursday afternoon. saying the timing of the vote by open ballot must be agreed upon by the parliament's program committee later Wednesday. Both the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote against Zuma, who has not responded to an order from his own party to leave office. (SABC via AP)

In this frame-grab from South African Broadcasting Corporation state-run television President Jacob Zuma is interviewed Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The speaker of South Africa's parliament wants to hold a motion of no confidence in Zuma on Thursday afternoon. saying the timing of the vote by open ballot must be agreed upon by the parliament's program committee later Wednesday. Both the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote against Zuma, who has not responded to an order from his own party to leave office.

In this frame-grab from South African Boroadcasting Corporation state-run television President Jacob Zuma is interviewed Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The speaker of South Africa's parliament wants to hold a motion of no confidence in Zuma on Thursday afternoon. saying the timing of the vote by open ballot must be agreed upon by the parliament's program committee later Wednesday. Both the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote against Zuma, who has not responded to an order from his own party to leave office.

Various news organisations go live on camera outside the president's office, background, at the government's Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The nation is waiting to hear whether President Jacob Zuma will obey a ruling party order to quit due to scandals linked to him.

South African police exit after a raid on a home in Johannesburg, Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The police raided the home of a business family linked to President Jacob Zuma as the nation awaited word from the embattled leader on whether he will obey a ruling party order to quit.

February 15, 2018

The African National Congress is expressing gratitude for Zuma's "loyal service" and is encouraging party members to support Cyril Ramaphosa, who is now the country's acting president. Ramaphosa is expected to be elected swiftly in a parliament vote and sworn in.

11:05 p.m.

South African President Jacob Zuma says he has resigned "with immediate effect."

The scandal-tainted leader made the announcement late Wednesday in a televised address to the nation.

Zuma says he has resigned despite his disagreement with the instruction of the ruling African National Congress party to leave office immediately. The ANC had been prepared to pursue a vote of no confidence in parliament on Thursday.

Zuma's tenure has been marred by years of corruption scandals.

10:30 p.m.

South Africa is waiting for President Jacob Zuma to deliver the statement he had promised in response to the ruling party's order to resign.

The presidency had said Zuma would address the nation at the top of the hour but the podium shown on TV screens across the country remains empty.

The ruling African National Congress says it will move to oust the scandal-tainted Zuma in a parliamentary vote if he does not quit voluntarily.

That vote has been set for Thursday afternoon.

3:05 p.m.

South African President Jacob Zuma says "I will be out" if parliament votes against him in a motion of no confidence set for Thursday.

Zuma's comment in a live interview on state broadcaster SABC suggests that he will not obey a ruling party order to leave office by the end of Wednesday.

The ruling African National Congress says it will move to oust Zuma in a parliamentary vote if he does not quit voluntarily.

Zuma says he has been "victimized" and that he disagrees with the ANC party's efforts to remove him. He says he was willing to resign but wanted to stay a few more months on office.

He says he will make a statement later.

2:30 p.m.

South African President Jacob Zuma says ruling party leaders have not given him clear reasons for why he should resign and he calls his treatment "unfair."

Zuma broke his silence Wednesday in a live interview with state broadcaster SABC as the nation awaited word on whether he would obey a ruling party order to leave office.

Zuma says the ruling African National Congress has not followed party procedures in trying to unseat him. The ANC wants parliament to vote Thursday on a motion of no confidence if he doesn't resign Wednesday.

"I need to be furnished on what I've done," Zuma says. "What is this hurry?"

The president has not commented in the ongoing interview on whether he will resign.

2:05 p.m.

The speaker of South Africa's parliament wants to hold a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on Thursday afternoon.

The office of Baleka Mbete says the timing of the vote by open ballot must be agreed upon by the parliament's program committee at a meeting later Wednesday.

However, resistance to Mbete's plan is not likely. Both the ruling African National Congress party and opposition parties are pushing for a parliamentary vote against Zuma, who has not responded to an order from his own party to leave office.

An opposition-sponsored vote of no confidence against Zuma had been scheduled in parliament for Feb. 22, but opposition parties wanted the event to be moved to this week.

1:05 p.m.

South Africa's ruling party says parliament could elect a new president on Thursday if President Jacob Zuma leaves office.

Jackson Mthembu, a senior official in the African National Congress, says the party wants to resolve the country's leadership turmoil as soon as possible.

Mthembu says that under an accelerated timeline, parliament would vote to remove Zuma from office on Thursday unless he resigns before then, and that lawmakers would elect a new president immediately after the vote.

The ruling party wants Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to take over from Zuma, who has not responded to an ANC order to quit.

12:50 p.m.

South Africa's ruling party says it is preparing for a parliamentary motion of no confidence against President Jacob Zuma on Thursday.

Paul Mashatile, a senior official in the African National Congress, says the aim of the vote is to remove Zuma so that Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa can take over.

Mashatile says Zuma faces a deadline Wednesday to respond to a ruling party order to leave office.

"We can no longer keep South Africa waiting," Mashatile says.

Zuma has been discredited by corruption scandals. Police have raided the home of a prominent business family with links to the president.

8:30 a.m.

South African police have raided the residential compound of a business family suspected of using its ties to President Jacob Zuma to influence Cabinet appointments and land state contracts.

Agents from the Hawks, an elite police investigative unit, on Wednesday entered the compound of the Gupta family in Saxonwold, an affluent neighborhood in Johannesburg.

The raid happened as the ruling African National Congress Party awaited a response from Zuma after instructing him on Tuesday to quit office because of a series of scandals.

The Gupta business family has been a flashpoint for national anger over corruption in state enterprises during Zuma's tenure. A judicial commission is preparing to investigate the alleged graft.